It is often thought that being good at something means you are extremely talented in that particular area, which is not technically true. When someone performs well in a certain area it almost always means that an individual had a drive to become better. As a result, a person puts time and effort into achieving that degree of expertise. Of course, everyone has a different level of talent but what drives the individual to perform better than what they are at the present, is the reason they become exemplary. Everyone excels at something and for me, it was playing clarinet.
Naturally, I became interested in playing an instrument because I wanted to learn about how each instrument produced a sound. When my middle school band director introduced my entire class to what each instrument looked and sounded like, my first choice was the flute. However, I had to pick a second instrument which I reluctantly choose, clarinet. Inside the mind of my fifth grade self, I thought that flute was the prettiest instrument so when I heard that I was stuck with playing clarinet I could not help but be dismayed. However, I stuck with it in the hopes that the clarinets would outnumber the flutes and I could transfer sections. As the year progressed, I had no such luck and actually became intrigued as to how all seven pieces could fit together and make one sound.
This phase did not last long because I started acting out of spitefulness. I became concerned with how well I was playing compared to my fellow clarinetists. In my mind at the time, I had thought I was one of the weaker players since the individuals I was playing with received nearly all of the compliments. I tried to improve but with a class of twelve other clarinets it was hard to tell what exactly I was doing wrong. Although I did not seek help, next year the section was down to half of its members and very few of them continued to go to group lessons. So one day I found myself at a sectional all by myself and received a small lesson from Mr. Kain, my band director; I learned not to puff my cheeks while playing. Finally, I knew something they did not, which gave me a boost of confidence. This did not last because I was still relying on others for rhythms and notes – my small piece of wisdom did not matter as much in a sixth grade band. I noticed my fellow section members become uninterested in the clarinet and by the next year, it was just me.
Being a lone clarinetist, I did not have others to compete with, but being surrounded by individuals who could play well motivated me to want to do better for the ensemble. The entire year I was sitting next to oboe players and I was as clueless as ever. The whole band seemed to know where we were in the music except for me, as a result, I would constantly ask for help from the oboists. At first I was hesitant, because oboe players are especially snobbish, but I knew if I was to become a better musician, I would need their help. I started learning rhythms and different articulations however, I did not realize how much I was learning.
My two music teachers saw my potential and started encouraging me to play out of my comfort zone which made me want play better. Mr. Vu noticed my initial struggle and complimented me when I performed well or learned a rhythm correctly. That same year my band director, Mr. Wainacht, who must have seen something in me, thought I was ready to audition for Connecticut’s Eastern Region Band Ensemble I decided to take up the challenge and practice. I would stay after school and ask for help from my band directors, but as the audition approached, I backed out for fear of not being ready. I did not realize until after, how much forcing myself to learn the piece helped improve my clarinet abilities. By the end of my seventh grade year I had a much better grasp on how to play notes and rhythms. I was even allowed me to go through the audition process and became a member of the marching band my eighth grade year. Of course, I would not have made it that far without the support of my teachers that encouraged me to want to do better.
My newfound growth had sparked the rest of my musical career and a rebirth in being driven to perform with superior musicians. I started taking lessons and learned about techniques on the clarinet. With new knowledge, I went through with the audition and was accepted into the festival. Marching band also let me be surrounded by musicians that were far better than me which allowed for insight of music I could make with enough hard work and determination. It made me want to become a better musician. As I progressed onto my high school years, my freshmen year I was completely astonished as to how well the symphonic band played. I began to pick up on the skills necessary for a musician and understand the true love of music; the way it can make a person feel, without portraying emotions through words.
My love for music grew and so did my interest in learning as much as I could. By the end of my freshmen year, my high school band director, Mr. Vu, referred to me to Chris Howard, a clarinetist in the U.S. Coast Guard Band. With him, my skills thrived and I practiced even more than before. I learned new practicing methods which helped me learn fast passages efficiently. He pushed me to try harder and participate in more auditions so I could be in more ensembles. I auditioned for and got accepted into Eastern Region and New England Music Festivals three years in a row. Playing in these ensembles, I was surrounded by the same caliber of musicians and far better. It is an honor to be surrounded by such phenomenal musicians because everyone is worried about making music, not getting the notes. However, et was not just about the ensembles I got into, but the ones I did not as well. I learned that there can always be improvement, there will always need to be more time for practice, and there will always be someone better than you.
I started to push myself for other reasons in high school because I realized there is no perfect musician. I wanted to become a better musician because I knew I wanted to teach one day and knowing that I wanted my students to learn from the best, I have to become the best I can be. I especially want them to understand the powerful ability music has on people and how important it is to keep in your life. As I was mindlessly delving myself into everything musical I could, I never would I have thought that making myself go through lessons, auditions, and outside ensembles, would have meant me being accepted to one, let alone three, colleges with a music scholarship.
Naturally, I became interested in playing an instrument because I wanted to learn about how each instrument produced a sound. When my middle school band director introduced my entire class to what each instrument looked and sounded like, my first choice was the flute. However, I had to pick a second instrument which I reluctantly choose, clarinet. Inside the mind of my fifth grade self, I thought that flute was the prettiest instrument so when I heard that I was stuck with playing clarinet I could not help but be dismayed. However, I stuck with it in the hopes that the clarinets would outnumber the flutes and I could transfer sections. As the year progressed, I had no such luck and actually became intrigued as to how all seven pieces could fit together and make one sound.
This phase did not last long because I started acting out of spitefulness. I became concerned with how well I was playing compared to my fellow clarinetists. In my mind at the time, I had thought I was one of the weaker players since the individuals I was playing with received nearly all of the compliments. I tried to improve but with a class of twelve other clarinets it was hard to tell what exactly I was doing wrong. Although I did not seek help, next year the section was down to half of its members and very few of them continued to go to group lessons. So one day I found myself at a sectional all by myself and received a small lesson from Mr. Kain, my band director; I learned not to puff my cheeks while playing. Finally, I knew something they did not, which gave me a boost of confidence. This did not last because I was still relying on others for rhythms and notes – my small piece of wisdom did not matter as much in a sixth grade band. I noticed my fellow section members become uninterested in the clarinet and by the next year, it was just me.
Being a lone clarinetist, I did not have others to compete with, but being surrounded by individuals who could play well motivated me to want to do better for the ensemble. The entire year I was sitting next to oboe players and I was as clueless as ever. The whole band seemed to know where we were in the music except for me, as a result, I would constantly ask for help from the oboists. At first I was hesitant, because oboe players are especially snobbish, but I knew if I was to become a better musician, I would need their help. I started learning rhythms and different articulations however, I did not realize how much I was learning.
My two music teachers saw my potential and started encouraging me to play out of my comfort zone which made me want play better. Mr. Vu noticed my initial struggle and complimented me when I performed well or learned a rhythm correctly. That same year my band director, Mr. Wainacht, who must have seen something in me, thought I was ready to audition for Connecticut’s Eastern Region Band Ensemble I decided to take up the challenge and practice. I would stay after school and ask for help from my band directors, but as the audition approached, I backed out for fear of not being ready. I did not realize until after, how much forcing myself to learn the piece helped improve my clarinet abilities. By the end of my seventh grade year I had a much better grasp on how to play notes and rhythms. I was even allowed me to go through the audition process and became a member of the marching band my eighth grade year. Of course, I would not have made it that far without the support of my teachers that encouraged me to want to do better.
My newfound growth had sparked the rest of my musical career and a rebirth in being driven to perform with superior musicians. I started taking lessons and learned about techniques on the clarinet. With new knowledge, I went through with the audition and was accepted into the festival. Marching band also let me be surrounded by musicians that were far better than me which allowed for insight of music I could make with enough hard work and determination. It made me want to become a better musician. As I progressed onto my high school years, my freshmen year I was completely astonished as to how well the symphonic band played. I began to pick up on the skills necessary for a musician and understand the true love of music; the way it can make a person feel, without portraying emotions through words.
My love for music grew and so did my interest in learning as much as I could. By the end of my freshmen year, my high school band director, Mr. Vu, referred to me to Chris Howard, a clarinetist in the U.S. Coast Guard Band. With him, my skills thrived and I practiced even more than before. I learned new practicing methods which helped me learn fast passages efficiently. He pushed me to try harder and participate in more auditions so I could be in more ensembles. I auditioned for and got accepted into Eastern Region and New England Music Festivals three years in a row. Playing in these ensembles, I was surrounded by the same caliber of musicians and far better. It is an honor to be surrounded by such phenomenal musicians because everyone is worried about making music, not getting the notes. However, et was not just about the ensembles I got into, but the ones I did not as well. I learned that there can always be improvement, there will always need to be more time for practice, and there will always be someone better than you.
I started to push myself for other reasons in high school because I realized there is no perfect musician. I wanted to become a better musician because I knew I wanted to teach one day and knowing that I wanted my students to learn from the best, I have to become the best I can be. I especially want them to understand the powerful ability music has on people and how important it is to keep in your life. As I was mindlessly delving myself into everything musical I could, I never would I have thought that making myself go through lessons, auditions, and outside ensembles, would have meant me being accepted to one, let alone three, colleges with a music scholarship.